Sharon Olson, lifelong learner, dies at 63

"Education was her life, and she loved every minute of it"

Sharon Olson, former president of Thompson School District's Board of Education and a longtime administrator at Loveland High, died Friday morning at 63. (Special to the Reporter-Herald)

Sharon Olson, former president of Thompson School District's Board of Education and a local leader in education for more than three decades, died Friday morning after a six-month battle with cancer. She was 63.

Olson was born April 4, 1950 in Minnesota, to parents Kermit and Ruth Olson. She graduated from Mankato State University with a degree in education, and taught for four years in central Minnesota. She moved to Colorado in 1977, starting as a social studies teacher at Loveland High. Several years later, she was elected president of the district's teachers union, Thompson Education Association. Over two terms there, Olson helped give a voice to teachers in salary and benefits negotiations.

"Sharon was able to completely change that whole process to be a collaborative one, with teachers at the table," said Kay Persichitte, Olson's longtime Loveland High colleague and close friend. "She was always a person who could see both sides of contentious issues and talk to groups on either side and get them to understand that, together, we can work things out."

At Loveland High, Olson also served as yearbook sponsor, student council sponsor, social studies department chair and athletic director, among other roles. In 1995, she became assistant principal, a position she would hold for 10 years. In 2005, the Colorado Association of School Executives named Olson Assistant Principal of the Year.

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She is also in the Colorado High School Activities Association's Hall of Fame.

"In everything she did at the school, she led by example," said David Ludwig, who worked closely for many years with Olson in Loveland High's social studies department. "She was a hard worker and, if you worked with her, you didn't want to let her down. She was always in the trenches with you."

Olson was elected to the Thompson school board in 2009, and appointed board president by her colleagues two years later. She'd planned to seek re-election in 2013, but on Aug. 26 she announced that she'd been diagnosed with stage 3 pancreatic cancer. On Nov. 6, Olson made her final public appearance at Thompson School District, accepting the McGuffey Award for "committed and passionate service" from the Colorado Association of School Boards. That day, Olson reflected on a career in education that provoked in her "every emotion that a person can feel."

"It can be frustration to tremendous joy to just deep sadness when a student dies somewhere," she said. "Or it can be a feeling of accomplishment when you've worked hard for something. It's a ride, but for me it was really worth it."

Persichitte said she "cannot think of a single person in the school district who has been as completely dedicated" as Olson was.

"Education was her life," she said. "And she loved every minute of it."

Outside of Thompson, Olson was extremely active at Loveland's Zion Lutheran Church. Members there recalled her as "a role model for many in our congregation," and say that the church "is a stronger place because of her care and service." Olson also served as a volunteer and later the interim director of Loveland homeless shelter Angel House.

Olson's friends said she constantly emanated hopefulness, whether in school, church, volunteer work or, more recently, illness. Former school board colleague Janice Marchman called Olson "as gracious as ever" in her final months.

"She said, 'I'm going to teach people how to do this gracefully,' and that's exactly what she's done," Marchman said. "The last few times I saw her, though she definitely was emotional, she'd come right out and say, 'I'm starting on a new journey and I'm going forward. I'm going to be okay and so are you.' She was amazing."

A public memorial service for Olson will be held at Zion Lutheran Church, 815 E. 16th St., on Feb. 15 at 2 p.m.

Alex Burness can be reached at 970-669-5050 ext. 521 or burnessa@reporter-herald.com. Follow him on Twitter @Alex_Burness.